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Chapter 2: The Realization

funnu — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:42:59 +0000

Funnu tumbles out of the shell and is exposed to a myriad of new conditions. The darkness phases away into a dull orange (as light struck his closed eyes); the cramped room inside the shell broke into a comfortable nest; the initial chill blocked by his parents warm feathers. All these new conditions made him fairly excited.

He is feeling excited for the first time in his life (finally something new other than the mundane shell life), and he knows not what to do of it. It is a new and strange feeling to him, he is in so much space for the first time; he starts to move all his limbs, which seems to vent some of his excitement. And now he starts to shout out of excitement, as if to mark his arrival into the world. It feels good and he keeps on shouting.

Moments later Funnu sleeps off all the shouting and moving around. This was indeed the most arduous physical activity he had ever done. While all the excitement has exhausted Funnu into a sleep, I feel reasonably excited as well. By now I have figured out that Funnu is a bird, of what kind can only be found when the eyes are open.

Birds are impulsive creature’s driven by their conscious. Although only time will tell if Funnu will listen to me as well, but it will be better than being with a human. The most horrible part with humans being that grown ups actually teach the young ones to trust some norms humans have devised more than their conscious. Leaving that behind me, I look forward to flying with Funnu.

While I look into my hindsight, Funnu wakes up to some music. For him everything is new and this continues to excite him as well. And as he enjoys the music in his own way, I too enjoy listening to one of my favorites after a long time….

P.S. : Original photograph by Kamal Kishore Rana, published here by his permission (click here to see the original image)

Song which wakes Funnu: Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd (Youtube search)

Chapter 1: The Birth

funnu — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:17:41 +0000

It is dark, it has always been dark. But it is not this darkness that bother’s him; no, it has never been the darkness. It is the surface, which strangle’s him…. for space…. for freedom. On this surface he once sat, stood, jumped and no matter what he did, it never seemed to run out. But gradually over time, he felt that a shell was encroaching upon him; encapsulating him within. Nevertheless, the truth could not have been more different.

In reality this shell has always existed, it is only now he senses the presence; when he has grown into the space only to collide against the walls of the shell that contained him. These walls covered him from every side, and now he has grown into every angstrom of the space provided within. But the walls were only doing what they know how to do, protect him. And they knew only one way of doing it, don’t let anything inside.

When he was conceived, he was infinitesimally smaller than what he is now. It seemed improbable that one day, he will grow into this space. And yet the conceiver’s hoped for that day, and I knew that it would come. And now, when the moment has arrived, the purpose of this shell is fulfilled. They have done what they were meant to do with all the sincerity and must now give way to life. He must now break them, in order to fulfill his destiny, to live. And it is now that he will learn his first lesson in life.

When the time comes, we know what we are supposed to do, but do we do it? The only person standing in his way is that person himself. The time has come, when he has to break this shell. It has gotten extremely uncomfortable now; now when there is no space. I tell him, go on, this is what you are destined for; and he listens to me for the first time. He summons all his energy, and pushes with all what he has got. Nothing much happens, but he keeps trying when finally a crack appears; for the first time in his life light appears in front of him. But he cannot see it, for his eyes are closed. He can only feel it. Now, encouraged he pushes harder when he comes out of the shell. And it is now that Funnu is born….

P.S. :Original photo by Kamal Kishore Rana, published here by his permission (Click to see the original image)

Prologue

funnu — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 09:11:22 +0000

Everything is dark, everything surrounding me, as far as I can perceive. Nothing is to be seen, felt, touched, smelt, heard or tasted in this darkness. My senses have defeated me; they cannot even tell me my own presence. Yet there is a sense beyond these five senses that is telling me the presence of this darkness. It tells me of darkness with never ending boundaries; which is darker than dark, blacker than black. This darkness does not make me worry; it does not torment me, neither does it give me a sense of pleasure or happiness, it does nothing but just be present all around me. I feel no pain, irritation, pleasure, worry or tension; I feel nothing, no emotion at all.

As few moments pass by, I sense the presence of a light in front of me. The light is brighter than any light I have ever seen or felt, it is brighter than sunlight when looked directly into and yet I am looking directly into it with no pain. Instead I feel comforted by it. I have never felt more happy or loved. The light has an unparalleled beauty, nothing in this world can compare to the beauty of this light. And the presence of this unparalleled beauty comforts me, gives me a sense of unconditional love and extreme happiness.

As I enjoy in the bliss that the light showers on me, I sense that the light is telling me something. I do not hear anything or see any motions trying to tell me something. I just know that the light is calling me. As I go closer I feel like a river flowing towards the ocean; but the light tells me that it is not time yet. In a timeless moment I relive my entire life; I experience the same emotions again, the same events again. And as the recapturing of my life finishes, I have the most exhilarating experience, I see myself flying. Suddenly I begin to lose all senses; I try to resist, but then the light tells me that it is ok, that my purpose is yet not served and I have to be somewhere. Slowly I begin to lose sight of the light; it starts to become dimmer and dimmer and dimmer ….